Automobile-horn.



P. K. WOOD.

AUTOMOBILE HORN.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 1. INS.

WITNESSES: n INVENTOR, Paul [1. Wood un -TE STATES PATENT OFFICE- PAUL K. WOOD, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GARFO RD MANITFACTURING COMPANY, OF ELYRIA, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

AUTOMOBILE-HORN.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application filed April 1, 1915. Serial No. 18,428.

same.

This invention relates to signaling devices which have a variety of uses, but which are more particularly intended to be employed upon automobiles, motor cycles, motor boats and other vehicles, where it is desired to give a warning of the presence or approach of the vehicle. More particularly, I aim to improve the horn illustrated and described in the patent to Ray H. Manson,-

No. 1,110,989, Sept. 15, 1914. Both inventions relate to the types of horns known as vibrator horns, which are already in extensive and successful commerical use. One of the objects of my invention is to produce a cheap, conveniently made and compact structure, and at the same time, an etlicienthorn which operates upon a reasonable voltage and with a reasonable current to produce the desired signal.

With the increase in amount and complexity of the machinery employed under the hood of an automobile, where the horns are generally mounted in present day usage, it

is highly desirable that the horn should occupy as little space as possible. in'order that it shall not interfe e with the repair, adjustment and care of the other machinery with which it is associated. With the introduction of the electric horn in use upon motor cycles, it is necessary that the horn should occupy but little space and should extend but little ways behind the handle bars.

The object of the pre ent invention is to produce what is familiarly known as a small horn, whichoccupies but little space, especial-ly in a longitudinal direction, and which at the same time can produce such a signal asis required. As the diaphragm, made to produce the desired signal, must possess considerable area, it is diflicult, if not impossible, to limit the size of the horn except by reducing its length, which I have done, and which enables me to realize the advantages sought by me.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be better understood from a description of an embodiment thereof.

Figure 1 is a sectional view through an embodiment of my invention'showing part of the resonator in elevation. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation with the cover removed. Fig.

3is a section through the armature and associated contacts.

Referring now to the drawing and tothe embodiment of the invention illustrated therein, at 4 is shown a fiat frame piece, which here consists of a ring of metal which 1 is provided with a large central opening 5,

for a purpose to be described. A vibratile, sound producing diaphragm 6 is mounted in front of this frame piece and preferably connected thereto around its periphery, leaving the central part of the diaphragm exposed through the opening 5 and free to vibrate in one direction in said opening. A ring 7 of cork or other suitalle material is preferably placed in front of the diaphragm. In front of the ring of cork the casing front 8 is mounted, and the parts 4, 6, 7 and 8' are connected together by any suitable means, such as screws 9, which serve to clamp the periphery of the diaphragm between the members 4 and 7. The central portion of the front 8 is struck outward, as shown at 10 to nected thereto by forming a collar 14 around/4Y5 the edges of the opening 12 and connecting the resonator thereto, as shown in Fig. 1.

Electromagnetic means are provided for vibrating the diaphragm, which are here shown as an electromagnet 15 and an armature 16. The magnet consists of a winding cross section, the long axis of the ell'pse being parallel to the diaphragm. A si le pole iece, coreor polar extension 19 is provider and the winding is mounted thereon. The pole piece isconnected to the frame piece 4 at one end by suitable mea such 17 which is preferably made ellipticazgin as screws 20. The end 21 of the pole piece, which is connected to the frame, is broadened by providing thereon extensions 22, and the screws 20 areinserted through these extensions in order not to reduce the magnetic circuit where the holes are formed for,

the screws.

The magnet may be spaced from the frame piece by providing a spacing member 24 between the end 21 of the core and frame piece. When mounted, one edge 25 of the magnet is within the hole 5 in the frame piece 4. The armature 16 is supported through an intermediate member 30 and a flat spring 31 from the frame piece 4. A hammer is operated by the armature, here shown as an extension 32 of the member 30, this extension being turned downward to form the hammer, which will strike the diaphragm and vibrate the same when the armature is operated. The members 31 and 30 are connected together by any suitable means, such as rivets 34. An electric switch is shown at 40 consisting of contacts 4l'and 42. The contact 41 consists of an adjustable screw whose head isshown at 44 mounted in a bracket 45 connected to the frame piece by any suitable means, such as screws'46, preferably also employed to connect the spring 31 to the frame piece 4. The second contact 42 is supported by a contact spring 50, which is connected to one end of the bracket 45, the spring 50 extending the length of this bracket substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the magnet.

The spring 50 is operated by the armature through a stud 51. Whenthus mounted the center of the armature is a little to one side of the center of the pole piece 19, but in front of the magnet, as shown in Fig. l. Thetwo, however, are out of alinement with respect to the diaphragm, so that the armature swings in a path which clears the magnet, no matter how far it is extended. When the magnet isvenergized, the armature 16 is drawn down toward the pole piece 19, and the hammer 32 strikes the central portion of the diaphragm, causing it to vibrate and produce the signal. When the armature 16 the spring 50, which is normally stressed to follow the stud, and in following it, opens the switch which interrupts the circuit of the magnet, which releases the armature, whereupon the parts are restored to normal. This operation continues as long as the circuit is closed by the switch, which is not shown, but which is understood.

I claim:

' 1. In an automobile horn, the combination "pf a frame piece, a diaphragm associated therewith, an electromagnet supported from the frame piece substantially parallel to the diaphragm and with its operating end adja- 05 cent the central portion of the diaphragm,

is drawn down, the stud 51 is removed from said electromagnetconsisting of a single pole piece and a winding thereon, an armaturecontrolled by the electromagnet for actuating the diaphragm, said armature being normally positioned in front of the magnet and with its center to one side of the center of the core thereof, said armature when attracted by the electromagnet moving substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the magnet, means supported from the frame for supporting and positioning the armature to move in a path clearing the front of the electromagnet and an electric switch controlled by the armature.

2. In an automobile horn, the combination of a flat frame piece having a large opening in the central portion thereof, a diaphragm means to connect the diaphragm to said frame piece with the central. portion of the diaphragm extending over said opening, the central portion of said diaphragm being adapted to vibrate in one direction into and out of the opening in the frame piece, an electromagnet consisting of a single polar extension and a winding thereon connected to the back part of the frame piece with the free end of the magnet adjacent one endof the armature and means to connect the other end of the magnet to the frame piece with a portion of the magnet in the opening in the frame piece, an armature for said magnet and means including a flat spring for connecting said armature to the frame piece, said armature being normally positioned in front of the magnet, a hammer carried by the armature for striking the diaphragm when the same is vibrated, and an electric switch controlled by the armature. a

3. In an automobile horn, the combination of a flat frame piece having a large opening in the central portion thereof, a diaphragm connected to the front of the frame piece at its periphery and extending over the opening in the frame piece, asingle magnet core connected at one end to the back side of the frame piece and having its free and extending substantially parallel to the diaphragm to a point adjacent the center thereof, a flat magnet winding on said core, an armature for said magnet normally in front of the magnet, the center of the armature being to one side of the center of the magnet core, said armature when attracted by the magnet swinging in a path substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the magnet and clearing the front of said magnet, means including. a leaf spring by which the armature is connected to the frame piece and an electric switch controlled by the armature.

4.-In an automobile horn, the combination of a fiat frame piece having an opening in the central portion thereof, a diaphragm connected to the front of the frame the central piece at its periphery and extending over the opening in the frame piece, the central portion of the diaphragm swinging into and out of the opening in the frame piece when the diaphragm is vibrated, means to connect the diaphragm to the front of the frame piece, means to operate the diaphragm including an electromagnet, said electromagnet consisting of a single flat core, means to connect one end of the core to the back side of the fiat frame piece, the core of the magnet extending substantially parallel to the diaphragm over the opening in the frame piece with its free or armature actuating end adjacent the central portion of the diaphra m, a flat magnet coil on said core with a portion of the magnet winding in the opening in the frame piece, both the magnetrwinding and the core being mounted with their two longest axes parallel to the diaphragm, an armature for said magnet, means including a fiat leaf spring to connect the armature to the back of the frame piece, said means holding said armature normally in front of the magnet with the center of the armature to one side of the pole piece, a hammer carried by said armature for striking and vibrating the diaphragm when the armature is actuated, said armature when actuated swinging in front of the magnet and in a line substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the magnet and an electric switch supported from the back side of the frame piece controlled by said magnet.

5. In an automobile horn, the combination of a fiat frame piece having its central portion cut away to form a large opening in the central portion of the frame piece, said opening being concentric with the outer periphery of the frame piece, a Vibratile, sonorous diaphragm connected at its periphery to the front side of the frame piece and having its central portion extending over the opening inthe frame piece, a casing front in front of the diaphragm asso ciated with the diaphragm about its periphery, means to connect the frame piece, the diaphragm and the casing front together, portion of the casing front being struck outward to form a chamber into whichthe central portion of the diaphragm vibrates in its forward movement, the central portion of the diaphragm swinging into and out of the opening in the frame piece upon its rearward movement when vibrated, mechanism to operate the diaphragm including an electromagnet and an armature. said electromagnet consisting of a single flat pole piece, meansto connect one end of the pole piece to the back side of the frame piece with the pole piece extending over the opening in the-frame piece with the free end of thepole piece near the center of the diaphragm, the two longest axes of said 'tion of the diaphragm,

- and a flattened magnet winding on said pole piece with its two longest axes parallel to the diaphragm, means to connect the armature to the back side of the frame piece including a flat leaf spring, said last named means holding the armature normally in front of the magnet and in such a position that the center ofthe armature is to one side of the center of the magnet, a hammer carried" by the armature for striking the diaphragm and causing it to vibrate when the armature is vibrated, a bracket connected to the back side of the frame piece, and an electric switch carried by said bracket consisting of a pair of contacts, one of which is controlled by the armature, said switch controlling the circuit of the magnet and being opened when the armature is attracted and closed when the armature is released.

6. In an automobile horn. the combination of a flat frame piece provided with an opening in the center thereof. a diaphragm connected to the frame piece and extending over the opening therein. the rear of the diaphragm being exposed through said opening. means for actuating the diaphragm consisting of a magnet and a vibratile armature. the magnet consisting of a single pole piece connected at one end to the frame piece and extending substantially parallel to the diaphra m over the opening in the frame piece with its free or armature actuating ends adjacent the central portion of the diaphragm and a flattenedmagnet winding on said pole piece. means to connect the armature to the back side. of the framepiece including a flat leaf spring, said armature being held in front of the magnet and when actuated by the magnet moving substantially perpendicular to the long axis of the magnet in a path clearing the front of the magnet, and an electric switch controlled by the armature.

normally positioned in front of the magnet and when attracted by the electromagnet moving substantially perpendicularly to ,the long axis of the magnet to cause the ac uameans suppoggzed from the frame for supporting and p sitioning the armature to move in a path clearing the front of the electromagnet and an electric switch controlled by the armature. 8. In an automobile horn, the combination said armature being of a fiat frame piece, a vibratile sonorous diaphragm connected to the front of the frame piece, an electromagnet and an armature connected to the rear of the frame 'piece, said'electromagnet consisting of a single pole piece and a magnet winding there- I on, means to connect one end of the pole piece to the back of the frame piece with the winding and pole piece extending'substantially parallel to the diaphragm and with the free or armature actuating end of the magnet adjacent the central portion of the diaphragm, means to connect the armature to the back of the frame piece, mechanical means through which the armature actuates the diaphragm When the armature is vibrated and an electric switch controlled by the armature.

In testimony whereof, I have aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses; 20 this 26th day of March, 1915.

PAUL K. WOOD.

Witnesses:

FRED A. NovAK, GEO. E. ROBERTS. 

